Bridge to close next week for emergency repair

CIRCLEVILLE – The Pickaway County Commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday allowing for the emergency repair of a bridge on Lockbourne Eastern Road, according to Chris Mullins, county engineer.

The bridge, which spans the railroad tracks just east of Cromley Road near Ashville, will be closed June 8 for the repair process that is expected to take at least four weeks, Mullins said.

“A recent fracture critical inspection showed a section loss on a couple of lower members on the bridge,” Mullins said. “In talking with the consulting firm we use for inspections, we need to accelerate the replacement of those members.”

Mullins said a routine inspection is done each year on bridges throughout the county, and a fracture critical inspection is done every two years.

“The inspection two years ago did not show this problem,” he said. “It’s accelerating for some reason, and the commissioners passed this resolution allowing me to forego the bidding requirements and get the bridge repaired.”

Mullins said the Ohio Revised Code allows for such measures under certain circumstances, and the rapid deterioration of the bridge fit those requirements.

Mullins said he estimates the repairs will cost about $75,000 to complete.

“We obviously didn’t have that budgeted, so we’ll have to take a look at it,” he said. “We’ll see if we can use carryover money we keep aside for emergencies or if we might have to push off another project for a while to pay for this one.”